I always overestimate by a few minutes because (for me) it's better to have extra time then to run OUT of time. After you write it out, take a look at it. Did you schedule everything? Can you add some minutes to some activities? Can you take away some minutes in another? Keep an eye on the clock, and really time the class.

It may not go "by the schedule" the first couple of days. You may have to take a couple of classes to find out the pace of your students.

Things go so much more smoothly now. This is a good way to keep the students on task and active.

I hope to have helped in some way. I can't wait to hear more suggestions. Good luck!

Thanks so much for your response, the tips are great, just what I was looking for!

It is a two hour class, the students are upper intermediate. The first few classes went okay but I have now been told the DOS is observing my next one!!

The topic is "raising a child" - getting the students to design a manual for child raising. I thought I will follow your tips and see if I can expand on them. Also I thought I would try and bring in some realia - parent magazines etc. any other tips would be wonderful.